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1. Field of the Invention
The apparatus of the present invention relates to assisting people with limited mobility. More particularly, the present invention relates to a stepped ladder positionable on a surface to allow a person with limited mobility, such as an elderly person, or a paraplegic, to raise himself from a position seated on the surface up a plurality of steps to a position level with a wheel chair or like apparatus.
2. General Background of the Invention
One of the more difficult problems in care of people is the problem of having a partially mobile person, such as a paraplegic, elderly person or amputee, to be able to move from a wheel chair to a surface such as the ground or floor without assistance from another person. More critically, there is a problem of such an individual, who may be living or staying alone, confined to a wheelchair, and through an accident, find him or herself having fallen from the chair onto the floor, and has no means in order to lift him or herself back up into the wheelchair. Furthermore, there is the need for a person confined to a wheelchair who may wish to move from the chair to the ground, for example to work in a garden, or simply enjoy sitting on the lawn. If such a person lives alone, there is no means for allowing the person, without the help of another, to move from the chair to the ground safely, and return to the chair when the person so desires. In other instances, some elderly people, although they are not confined to a wheel chair, are simply unable to move from a standing position to a position seated on the floor or ground gradually, due to the weakness in their limbs or rigidity in their joints. For example, if such a person desired to take a bath in a floor level tub, they would be unable to stand in the tub and move to a seated position for fear of injury or great pain.
Such people could benefit greatly from a device which would allow one to move from a wheel chair to the ground or floor and return to the chair, or to move from a standing position, and gradually move to a seated position, and return to a standing position without fear of pain or injury.
The apparatus of the present invention solves the problems in the art in a simple and straightforward manner. What is provided is a ladder for people with limited mobility comprising a first frame member defining a first sidewall; a second frame member defining a second sidewall; a plurality of steps spanning between the first and second sidewalls, from a first level above the surface to the upper level substantially to the height of a wheelchair seat; handles positioned above each of the steps, so that a person is able to place one""s hands on the handles and lift oneself up the first step, and grasp the next highest handles and lift to the next highest step until the person is able to move from the highest step onto the wheelchair seat.
There is further provided a means for allowing each of the steps to fold upwardly along their midpoint to move the apparatus into a folded storage position when not in use.
Therefore, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a limited mobility ladder for allowing a person to move from a wheel chair, onto the upper step of the ladder and to move down the steps so that one is able to be seated on the ground or floor;
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a limited mobility ladder to allow a person to move up and down a plurality of steps of the ladder by raising oneself up or down the steps through the use of upper limbs only;
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a limited mobility ladder which may be placed in a bathtub and allow a person of limited mobility to move from a standing position down the various steps so as to be seated in the tub and return to the seated position for standing and exiting the tub.